Nolla Health has launched a pilot program in Utah allowing its AI platform to issue initial prescriptions for certain topical acne treatments, with physician oversight built into the process. Available through the Nolla Derm app, the program is open to eligible Utah residents aged 18 and older and costs $4.99 per month, excluding medication costs.
Patients begin by completing an informed consent process, a short medical questionnaire and a facial scan. Nolla's AI then analyzes the information and selects a treatment from a predefined set of physician-approved protocols. Eligible patients can receive a personalized treatment plan and prescription within minutes, while cases that fall outside the AI's defined clinical parameters are automatically escalated to a licensed physician.
The pilot is limited to adults with mild to moderate acne who are suitable for specific topical medications. Oral treatments and isotretinoin are excluded, while patients with severe acne or other conditions requiring more complex care are screened out. Nolla emphasizes that the AI cannot independently create new treatment approaches and is restricted to selecting among options previously approved by physicians.
Physician oversight will gradually change as the pilot progresses. Initially, two Utah-licensed physicians will review every prescription for at least 100 patients before it is submitted. During the second phase, prescriptions can be submitted by the AI before being reviewed retrospectively by physicians, with at least 500 patients monitored over eight weeks. Eventually, physicians will review a minimum of 10% of cases monthly, alongside every case involving an adverse event or clinical escalation.
Patients can receive prescribed medications through home delivery or pharmacy pickup and use daily skin scans to monitor their progress. Treatment plans are reassessed after every 28 scans, and patients can communicate directly with licensed physicians through the app when additional clinical support is needed.
The initiative is part of Utah's broader experimentation with AI-enabled prescribing. Other pilots have explored autonomous prescription renewals for chronic medications, although these programs have also generated debate around appropriate levels of physician oversight and patient safety.
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